Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)

The sheriff of Nottingham plots to confiscate the estate of the Lord of Bortrey, who has died on Crusade. The Archbishop of Canterbury speaks against this plot, and the sheriff plans to ... See full summary »

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writer:

Alan Hackney (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Greene, Sarah Branch, Peter Cushing

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Greene	...	Robin Hood
Sarah Branch	...	Maid Marian
Peter Cushing	...	Sheriff of Nottingham
Richard Pasco	...	Edward, Earl of Newark
Nigel Green	...	Little John
Niall MacGinnis	...	Friar Tuck (as Niall McGinnis)
Jack Gwillim	...	Archbishop Hubert Walter
Edwin Richfield	...	The Sheriff's Lieutenant
Oliver Reed	...	Lord Melton
Patrick Crean	...	Lord Ollerton
Vanda Godsell	...	The Prioress
Dennis Lotis	...	Alan A'Dale
Derren Nesbitt	...	Martin of Eastwood, merry man
James Neylin	...	Roger, a merry man
John Franklin	...	Archbishop's Adjutant

Storyline

The sheriff of Nottingham plots to confiscate the estate of the Lord of Bortrey, who has died on Crusade. The Archbishop of Canterbury speaks against this plot, and the sheriff plans to eliminate him. Robin Hood pretends to undertake the assassination of the Archbishop for the plotters; Maid Marion, meeting him thinks him the leader of a gang of murderers, and leads him into a trap.

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Plot Keywords:

robin hood | sheriff of nottingham | thief | swashbuckler | disarming someone | 

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Taglines:

"NEW and Greatest Adventures of Robin Hood... The World's Most Renowned Swordsman!"

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Genres:

Adventure

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 January 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Schwert des Robin Hood

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Hammer Film Productions, Yeoman Films Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Richard Greene was the only actor to reprise his role from the TV series. The other roles were played by an entirely new set of actors.

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Goofs

It is fairly obvious that the film was made in Ireland and that much of the smaller part casting was done there; the people in the inn in Bawtry and the nuns in the priory all spoke with Irish accents.

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Crazy Credits

The movie begins and ends with a short song so as to be consistent with the TV series. The song at the end of the movie goes something like this: "And so Robin and his lady/returned to Sherwood Forest,/There to stay evermore."

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Connections

Version of Robin and Marian (1976)

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Soundtracks

"Troubadour Songs"
Written by Stanley Black
Sung by Dennis Lotis

User Reviews

Period charm

This is not as bad as all that. Terence Fisher as ever does a competent job, there are reasonable production values and some rather fetching photography. I always thought Richard Greene a little too schoolmasterly for an outlaw, and he is here rather portly, but he can certainly handle a bow. Nigel Greene and Niall McGinnis are well cast as Little John and Tuck, Peter Cushing is an excellent Sheriff, and Richard Pasco does well as the ambiguous Lord Newark. Oliver Reed's camp henchman is perhaps less successful.

The conspiracy plot unfolds at a relaxed pace and resolves satisfyingly. The weakest element is the tacked on romance with Sarah Branch's rather bland Maid Marion.

All in all a rather charming period piece, that gets closer to the spirit of the original ballads than most versions.